Antenna reel



Aug'. '1927.

. 1,637,354 K. ROTTGARDT4 j ANTENNA REEL Filed Aun:` 26, 1921 2Sheets-Shoot l Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KARL ROTTGABDT, OF DAHLEM, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION PENNSYL- VAN IA.

Application led August 26, 1921, Serial No. 495,599, and in GermanyJanuary 15, 1913 (GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS 0F THE ACT 0F MARCH 3,1921, 41 STAT. L., 1313.)

The invention relates to a reel or drum, for retractile antennae, foruse particularly in wireless stations on air-craft. According to theinvention an antenna-reel of this kind is so constructed that it can befitted in a suitable position on the air-craft as deslred and cannevertheless be controlled with ease and certainty from the pilots seat.The usual arrangement in which the antenna-reel is built in theimmediate vicinity of the pilots seatgives rise to possibilities ofdanger to the operator from high potentials and also takes up arelatively large amount of room in a space which is already taxed to theutmost. Further, the new antenna-reel guarantees a reliable and rapidwinding and unwinding of the aerial conductor4 and also,

by simple means, can be made to operatel automatically.

In accordance with these objects, a reel 1s provided which may bemounted in any convenient place and may be driven by suitable means suchas an aeroplane motor or a separate propeller. A. clutch is interposedbetween the drum and the driving means, and

a brake which may be operatively connected to the clutch, is providedfor slowing down and arresting the drum after the antenna 1s wound. Theclutch and brake are preferably so interconnected that when the clutchis engaged the brake is released and vice versa.

Manually operable means are provlded for controlling the position of theclutch and brake, so that the reel may be controlled from any desiredpoint. This may be effected through a Bowden wire, links and levers, orany other suitable means.

The clutch and brake are preferably operated by automatic means as wellas manual means, so that the clutch will be disconnected and the brakeapplied when a predetermined length of' antenna wire is wound on thedrum. This may be accomplishedby attaching to the cable at any desiredpoint a stop which will engage an arm connected to the clutch so as torelease the clutch and apply the brake when the winding operation iscomplete.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section of thereel;

Fig. 2 is an end view from the propeller end of Fig. 1 shown partly insection with the 'cover plate removed; and

AFig. 3 is a general arrangement of the reel, antenna and controls.

Referring to the drawings, in the casing 1 there is journalled by meansof the ball bearings 2 and 3 the shaft 4, on one end of which,projecting from the casing, the propeller 5 is keyed. On the shaft 4 bymeans oi' the ball bearings 6 and 7 the drum 8, on which the antennaconductor is coiled, is revolubly mounted. One side of the drum 8 isprovided with an extension 10 provided with internal teeth 11. These arein connection, through the toothed wheels 12, 13 and 14, which aremounted in bearings attached to one of the cover-plates of the casing 1,with a second toothed wheel 15 which is freely rotatable on the shaft 4by means of the ball bearing 16. The nave of the toothed wheel 15 isprovided with aconical recess 17 into which a' conical clutch 18, whichis movable longitudinally but not revoluble on the shaft -1 and, ispressed by means of the spring 19, so that the driving shaft 4 is therebconnected through the toothed wheels 15, 14, 13, 12, 11 with the drum 8.For disengaging this clutch there is provided a yoke lever 21 which canswing about a pivot 20 and which has an annular part 22, surrounding thecone 18 with an intervening space and provided with inwardly directedpins 23 and 24 which engage in an annular groove 25 in the cone 18 anddisplace said cone 18 when the lever 21 is swung outwards. Themovementof the lever 21 is effected by means of a slide 26 which is movable, bymeans of slots, along the pins 27 which are fixed in one of thecover-plates of the casing 1. The slide 26 is provided with a projection28 which has an opening with two resting places for the roller 29 fittedat the end of the lever 21 and can be displaced with the help of aspring-actuated disengaging pin 30, which is coupled to the projection28. vWhen the lever end 29 is in the resting place 31 ofthe projection28 the drum 8 is in connection with the driving shaft 4 and thepropeller 5, while in the other resting place 32, which is occupied whenthe slide 26 is pushed downwards, the lever 21 is swung outwards againstthe action of the spring 19 so far that the clutch 18 remains out of thecontact with the hollow cone 17 of the toothed wheel and the connectionis therefore broken. The disengaging pin can be controlled by means of aBowden wire from the hand lever 34. A Instead of this any other,

suitable form of control can, of course, be employed, as for example, arod or an electric or pneumatic control. 1

In order quickly to arrest the dium 8 after disconnecting the drivingshaft 4 a brake can be fitted,4wliichr may, for example, be a4 bandbrake as shown. The operation of this brake mnstbey so `connected withthe control of the lever21 that the brake is applied aiter the .antennaconductor 9 has been completely coiled,ti. e. after releasing the clutch17, 18, and is again disconnected `beforethe next .engagement of theclutch.

i throughwhich as well as through the opening in the casing 1 theoutgoing antenna conductor passes. On the conductor 9 there vis' .fittedaufreely displaccable member 4l,

which is of such a diameter that it cannot passvthrough the hole 39 Ainthe arm 38 of the lever. A catch 42 fixed to the conductor 9 Vpressesthe member 41 against thelever arin 38 when the antenna conductor iswound up and so causes the lever 21 to swing out wards into the restingplace 32, whereby the disconnection of the clutch 17, 18 and, in thegiven case the application of the brake 35 is e'iected. The antennaconductor 9 has at one end a parafiined portion 44 and a weight and,when' being wound up or unwound, is guided through the bent tube 43which arrests the member 41. The tube 43 is electrically connected withthe antenna connection 46.

Thewhole arrangement is manipulated in such a way that, for the purposeof winding up the antenna the hand-lever 34 1s brought linto theposition I. The disengaging pin 30 isthereby7 by means of the Bowdenwire 33, caused to act on the lever 21 and effects its transference from.the position 32 to the position 31 and the engagement between thedriving shaft 4 and the drum 8. Vhen the antenna conductor is wound upby power by means of the propeller 5 it presses, by means of the catch42, the member 41 against the lever arm 38, which again causes the leverto swing out into the position 32 and thus again releases the cluteh'l7,18.. At the same time 'the brake 35, which :is thereby brought into 72'f i l 1,637,354

action, stops the diuin 8. If the antenna conductor is to be againunwound, the hand lever is moved into the position Il, whereby thedisengaging pin 30 isso influenced/by the wire 33, that the brake35isreleased and the drum 8 can rotate. ln order to prevent a too quickwinding and unwinding of the antenna conductor 9, a centrifugal brakecan he provided which may consist of weights `4T connected to the drum 8and ,friction ing means to said drum, a lever for operating said clutch..said lever having a hole therein through which passes the antenna wire,a

stop on said' wirev adaptedy to engage said lever and operate it torelease said clutch when the antenna is wound to the desired length, andan extension on said lever engaging a cani which may be manuallyopcrated to engage and disengagc said clutch.

2. A rocl tor i'etractilc antennae comprising a revoluble drum. anantenna wire adapted to bc wound on said drum. driving incanstherefor. aclutch coupling :-:iid driving means to said drum, a lever 'foroperating said clutch, ysaid lever having a hole therein through whichpasses the antenna wire, a stop on said wire adapted to engage saidlever and operate it to release said clutch when the antenna is wound tothe dermanually engaged and disengaged from an)r desired f position. i

3.' A reel for retractile antennae comprising a revoluble drum, drivingmeans therefor, an antenna wire adapted to be wound on said drum, aclutch for coupling said driving means to said drum, a levcrioroperating said clutch. a brake adapted' to act on a portion oit' saiddrum operatively connected to said lever whereby said brake is appliedwhen said clutch is disengaged and said brake is released when saidclutch is engaged, said antenna wire passing through a hole in saidlever and having a stop thereon adapted kto engage said lever to releasesaid clutch and apply said brake when a predetermined length of wire hasbeen reeled in.

4. A reel forV retractile antennae comprising a revoluble drum. drivingmeans therefor. an antenna wire adapted to be wound on said drum, aclutch for coupling said'drving means to said drum, a lever foroperatllo ing said clutch, a brake adapted to act on a portion of saiddrum operatively connected to said lever whereby said brake is appliedwhen said clutch is disengaged and said brake is released When saidclutch is engaged, said antenna wire passing through a hole in saidlever and having a stop thereon adapted to anfrage said lever to releasesaid clutch and apply said brake when a predetermined length of Wire hasbeen reeled in, and an extension on said lever whereby said clutch andsaid brake may be manually operated.

5. A reel for retractile antennae comprisr ing a revoluble drum, drivingmeans therefor, an antenna wire adapted to be wound on said drum, aclutch for coupling said driving means to said drum, a lever foroperating said clutch, a brake adapted to act on a portion of said drumoperatively connected to said lever whereby said brake is applied whensaid clutch is disengaged and said brake is released when said clutch isengaged, said antenna wire passing a through a hole in said lever andhaving a stop thereon adapted to engage said lever to release saidclutch and apply said brake when a predetermined length of wire has beenreeled in, and an extension on said lever engaging a cam which may bemanually operated to operate said clutch and brake simultaneously.

6. In a reel for retractile antenn comprising a drum, driving meanstherefor, a clutch connecting said driving means and said drum andadapt-ed to act on said drum, a lever operatively connected to saidclutch adapted to be engaged by a stop on the antenna wire to disengagesaid clutch and apply said brake when a predetermined length of antennawire has been reeled in.

7. A reel for retractile antennae comprising a driving shaft, means fordriving said shaft, a drum revolubly mounted on said shaft, an antennawire adapted to be wound on said drum, a clutch member revolubly mountedon said shaft, transmission means connecting said drum and saidrevolubly mounted clutch member, a second clutch member slidably but notrotatably mounted on said shaft adapted to releasably engage saidfirst-mentioned clutch member, a yoke connected to said slidably mountedclutch member having a projecting arm through an opening in which passessaid antenna wire, an adjustable stop on said wire adapted to engagesaid yoke arm and operate it to disengafre said clutch when apredetermined length of cable has been reeled in.

8. A reel for retractile antennae comprising a driving shaft, means fordriving said shaft, a drum revolubly mounted on said shaft, an antennawire adapted to be wound on said drum, a clutch member revolubly mountedon said shaft, transmission means connecting said drum and saidrevolubly mounted clutch member, a second clutch member slidably but notrotatably mounted on said shaft adapted to releasably engage saidfirst-mentioned clutch member, a brake operatively connected to saidslidably mounted clutch member and adapted to act on said drum, manuallyoperable-means for engaging and dsengaging said clutch and applying andreleasing said brake, a yoke connected to said slidably mounted clutchmember having a projecting arm through an opening in which passes saidantenna wire, an adjustable stop on said wire adapted to engage saidyoke arm and operate it to disengage said clutch and apply said brakewhen a predetermined length of cable has been reeled in.

9. In an automatic reeling device, a drum, a driving mechanism, a clutchfor controlling the connection of said driving mechanism to said drum, aflexible member connected to said drum to be wound thereon, a lever foractuating said clutch, a part of said lever being adjacent to the partof said flexible member not wound on the drum, a traveller slidablymounted upon the said part of' the fiexible member, and a stop fastenedto the fiexible member, whereby, when the drum winds the flexible memberup to a predetermined point, the stop will cause the traveller tocontact with the lever and shift the clutch.

10. In an automatic reeling device, a drum, a .driving mechanism, aclutch for controlling the connection of said driving mechanism to saiddrum, a flexible member connected to said drum to be wound thereon, alever for actuating said clutch, a guide for said flexible member, apart of said lever being adjacent the flexible member between said guideand said drum, a traveller slidably mounted on said flexible memberbetween said guide and said lever, and being limited in its Islidingmovement by said guide and lever, and a stop fastened to the flexiblemember, whereby when the drum winds the flexible member up to apredetermined point, the stop will cause the traveller to contact withthe lever and shift the clutch.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

DR. KARL ROTTGARDT.

